RWANDA
CONFIDENTIAL
Report by East African Department
General Observations
The Mission in Kampala has in the past had responsibility for Rwanda, but since the break in relations with Uganda, Rwanda has had no effective coverage (Kinshasa are about to assume responsibility). Up to date, accurate information is therefore difficult to come by, but it seems clear that the trend in Rwanda is for the level of violence to diminish and the lot of the individual to improve. 15,000 were killed in a coup attempt in 1964, and, with the apparent encouragement of the Government, 400 were killed in the months prior to the coup of 1973 when President Habyarimana took over. There have been no more reports of killings in recent years and if the recent bloodless coup in neighbouring Burundi is anything to go by, the historic Hutu-Tutsi tribal conflict which has haunted the area is dying down.
Right No.
(i)
(ii)
Rating suggested by Department
The fundamental liberties of an individual for a right to trial are guaranteed by the Rwanda Con- stitution introduced in 1962. However, Amnesty International have a record of one man who has been detained since 1968 without trial and Ministers of Kayibanda's regime which was deposed in 1973 are believed still to be held without trial; but this does not seem to be a large scale practice.
Information is extremely difficult to come by, but it is safe to assume that the use of torture is comparatively rare.
2
2
(iii)
There is no evidence of the exis- tence of slavery, which was abol- ished by Article 25 of the 1962 Constitution.
(iv)
There is no daily newspaper, but a variety of Church and secular periodicals which enjoy a certain amount of freedom. The Rwanda radio is state-controlled, but is balanced by a German relay station which also broadcasts freely to the area.
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RWANDA (continued)
Right No.